Vertigo & hearing issue
Hi! I’m in the hospital for the past six days; being discharged tonight. My main complaint was/is vertigo. I also have a hearing issue; it sounds as if I’m under water & having a conversation with someone under water with me?! This has been going on since January when I had a significant trip & fall at my pt job as a cafeteria worker. Back then I was in ccicu for 5 days. They sent me home with a severe concussion. At home I started fainting; one time a month after the trip & fall, I was at my kitchen sink doing dishes when, without warning, I fainted again. This time falling on the open door of the dishwasher & hitting my head on my right temple, just like the first accident. I understand the vertigo; but not the hearing trouble that I’m now experiencing..
Has anyone else gone through a similar experience?!?
Wow,
! You seem to be having a pretty rough 2023 so far! I am so sorry you have been experiencing vertigo and falls (and the injuries caused by the falls).
It is not uncommon to experience these symptoms with MS and even your hearing problems could be chalked up to MS, although I would get that checked out, just to be sure, if you haven't already done so.
Has your doctor or medical team been working with you to get to the bottom of what is going on? Do they believe it's due to your MS? I only ask this because there may be some treatment options, but with some of these symptoms, it comes down to prevention and preparedness, if that makes sense. Like, do what you can to keep these symptoms from happening in the first place (pretty hard to do with MS, I know, but it helps sometimes) and also planning for things like your fall risk; i.e. noting it there is any kind of a warning before an episode of veritgo and/or falling and trying to plan to be able to sit down quickly if you have time, or using a walking aid if necessary.
I know these things probably don't sound very pleasant, but they can help minimize your risk of serious injury. Have you noticed any kind of triggers for some of these episodes (like stress, overstimulation, being tired, getting overheated, etc)?
And, to muddy the waters further, some of these symptoms can also be related to your concussion! If anything, I am sure the concussion isn't helping anything.
I wanted to share an article on the topic of some 'weird' MS symptoms, including dizziness and vertigo. Also, be sure to check out the MANY member comments following the piece. I bet you'll find some comments that you can relate to. https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/some-of-the-weirder-ms-symptoms. And I hope other members see your post here and chime in, as I know you are definitely not the only one experiencing this!
Now, hearing loss is pretty rare with MS, but it does happen. I would definitely get that checked out more thoroughly, especially if the loss continues to worsen. You can read a bit about it here (and some other lesser known MS symptoms, too) -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/lesser-known-evils.
I hope your return home goes smoothly and you don't experience any more falls this year! And, please, continue to follow up with your doctor, as head injuries are nothing to mess around with. I know you know this, but it makes me feel better to write it out here, just in case 😉
Thanks for reaching out and let us know how you are doing as you settle in at home, if you feel like sharing.
Best, Erin, MultipleSclerosis.net Team Member.
